Today we got up early and got ready to walk down to Cathedral Cove and the surrounding Bays before making our way back to the Batch for the afternoon before dinner (courtesy of Michelle and Darren) and the rugby.

The morning started off well….so eager was I, to experience the Cove when I mentioned to Jac's and Chris that I was going to pop down to the Annexe to give Michelle and Darren a wake up call, that I was completely unprepared for what happened next! What I NEARLY saw there made me run, screaming "My eyes, MY EYESSSS" before bursting into hysterics and only just managing to make it back up the steps into the batch.

I had walked down the steps to the completely glass fronted annexe to find Darren in a state of undress and only in the very last moments possible was he able to swiftly cover himself with his boxers! I stumbled back into the batch laughing/screaming hysterically only for Michelle and Darren to follow moments later laughing too.

No more early morning calls from Muddy Pony. *ahem*

All piled in the two cars, we drove the short 10 minute journey to the start of the Cove walk (we saw lots of Muddy Ponies…) and all set off on the 1.5 hour journey down the cliff side. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning and although we passed a few people on the way down when we eventually did make it down to the Cove it was absolutely stunning. The beach was just incredible, there were no footsteps in the sand and it looked like we were some of the first people down there that day as we had the beach to ourselves for at least 15 minutes or so before more people started to flood in. We had a lot of fun just walking up and down and looking at the stunning views as well as taking some good photo opportunities to get group pictures in a ledge that was present in one of the cliff faces right in the middle of the beach.

Leaving Chris and Michelle shadow fighting each other (very funny) I walked a little further down the beach and took some shots of the water and the rocks and a few shots of the beach on the other side of the cove.

Darren and I were a little naughty and walked through to the other side of the cove which you aren't really meant to do as it is only accessible via the water (they don't want people walking under the cove as there is a danger of falling rocks and if the tide comes in, you can't get back through because it cuts you off) but we were only there for a couple of minutes and the tide was out so it wasn't too bad.

After taking in as much of the view as we could we decided to walk back up to the cars stopping at some of the other bays we had neglected on the way down in favour of getting to Cathedral Cove quicker.

One thing they don't mention at the start is the 148 steep steps down to the Cove which isn't so bad, it's just when you want to get back up them that you realise the error… (stupid steps!)

Completely knackered already, we began the actual walk back up the cliff! The first bay we came to was Stingray Bay but only Michelle and Darren went down to that one as the climb down was a bit steep and the path was very muddy so the rest of us decided to skip it.

Off to the next one, Gemstone Bay, which was beautiful, it was a little cove with a rock beach, and as the blue waters came up over the rocks all their colours came out and they looked like lots of gemstones all under the water which was just fascinating.

Eventually back to the top of the cliff and back to the cars we were all parched and in need of a drink and an ice cream so headed back into Haihei and had a little walk along the beach before getting back in the cars and heading back to the batch.

Once back at the Batch we all relaxed for a bit and then decided to go for a walk on Hot Water Beach before dinner - we ended up walking along and looking for shells for Michelle (it's very addictive!) I found a conch which was strangely very pleasing! Pulling ourselves away from the search for pretty shells we walked back and Darren and Michelle cracked on with dinner (Enchiladas) whilst the rest of us played Poker.

Dinner was FANTASTIC and even though I protested that I wasn't tired, I fell straight asleep on the window seat, only waking up for the very end of the rugby match we had all sat down to watch…

Early morning cliff walks make Stephy a very Muddy Pony…